Means for quickly attaching and detaching tractor-wheel cleats or lugs



Dec. 16, 1930. r. J. cALHooN 1,784,953

MEANS FOR" QUECKLY ATTACHING AND DETACHING TRACTOR WHEEL CLEATS OR LUGSFiled April 27, 1929 ZShaetS-Shee t l SIM neuter Dec. 16, 1930. J.CALHOON 1,784,953

MEANS FOR QUICKLY ATTAGHING AND DETACHING TRACTOR WHEEL CLEATS OR LUGSFiled April 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet o 6 a Z7100 Patented Dec. 16,1930 1i i I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE TILMON monsoon; or FRANKLIN, ILLINOISMEANS FOR QUIC LY ATTACHING 'AND DETAQIIINGTRAGToR-WHEE CLEA'I-S on LUGsApplication filed April 27, 1929. Serial No. 358,726.

This invention relates to traction element rooted in the same generaldirection while the mountings for tractor wheels and more parcleats haveat the inner surface thereof head ticularly to an apparatus for lockingthe lugs ed elements 13, the heads of which are passor cleats of tractorwheels in position thereon. able through the heads of the keyhole slots5 An important object of the invention is to and the shanks 14- of whichare movable into provide apparatus of this character which the reducedbranches of the keyhole slots, so may be employed to release the lug orcleat that the heads lock the cleat in position upon when removalthereof is desired and posithe Wheel rim. Thus by a movement transtionthis lug or cleat for removal by a lifting versed to the rim of thecleats may be either .1 operation. a locked against separation from therim or no A further and more specific object of the maybe positioned sothat they may be lifted invention is the provision of a structure oftherefrom. this character which may be readily applied a At the innersurface of the wheel rim I to tractor wheels as at present manufactured,provide spaced annular elements 15, each con- 15 and which willsimultaneously release all of necting to the wheel rim by a plurality of1 the lugs or cleats of the wheel. guide-s16, in which the annularelements are These and other objects I attain by the rotatable to permitshifting thereof circumconstruction shown in the accompanyingferentially of the wheel rim. These elements drawings wherein for thepurpose of illus have associated therewith racks 17 At opl tration Ihaveshown a preferred embodiment posite sides of the wheel rim I mountbearof my invention and wherein V lugs. 18 in'whic'h a shaft 19 isslidably'and Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of rotatablymounted; This shaft has gears 20 a tractor wheel having the tractionelements for engagement with the racks 17.

thereof mounted in accordance with my in- Between one end of the gearelement and er. ti p one of the bearings 18 a spring 21 surrounds Figure2 is a sectional View on line 22 of shaft -19'and constantlyurges thisshaft to- Figure1;- 1 I ward the other of the "bearings. The otherFigure 3 is a fragmentaiyview similar to of the bearings andtheconfronting faces of Figure 2,1llustrat1ng the traction elements asthe gear element have coacting clutch eleshifted by thecontrol meanspreparatory to ments 22 and 23 secured to form a portionof so removalthereof; I said bearing andtheassociated gear element Figure 4 is asection on line 4l1 of Fig- 20 respectively, with the result that in theure 2; 1 normal position of shaft 19 these clutch ele- Figure 5 isasection on line 5 5 of' Figments engage one another and prevent rotaure2; a tion'of-the shaft about its own axis. The Figure 6 is a sectionalview showingone of adjacent end oftheshaft is extended through theguides of the annulus; V I the bearing 18 and adapted, asby squaringFigure 7 is a fragmentary view of a porthe same at 24, for engagementwith a wrench.-

tion of the annulus showing a modified form By applying a Wrench theretoand forcing of wedge element. 1 v A V theshaft longitudinally this shaftmay be o Referring now more particularly to the rotated and when rotatedwill causejrotation d i g th n l 10 generally desigof the annularelements 15. The elements 15 nates a tractor Wheel at present shown as'havhave secured thereto a wedge element 25 and ing cleats 11appliedflthereto, "Thesecleat's a wedge element-26, respectively, foreach andwheel are so constructed that the cleats cleatll, the wedgeelements 25 constituting may be disengaged from the 'wheel-by a lockingwedges, an dthe wedge elements 26, movement longitudinally thereto andtrans? releasing wedges. I 7 v V verse to the wheel. In the presentinstance, The wedge elements 25 are atprese'nt shown the'wheel isdisclosed as having keyhole slots as carried" by the outer faces ofone'of the 12, the reducedbranchesof which are diannular-elements 15, whilethe-wedge ele'-- Cir ments 26 are carried by the other of these annularelements. The wedge elements 25 and 26, for coaction with a given cleat,are spaced circumferentially of the annular elements with relation toone another.

It will be obvious that when the cleats are placed in position. uponthefwheel and the annulus rotated to cause the wedges. 25,. tov engagethe same, the headed elements and the cleats will be forced transverselyof the rim by, these wedges, so that the shanks of the headed elementsare disposedat the ends of the reduced portions of the keyhole slots 12,the rotation of the shaft l9is checked and 4 the shaft released so thatit may be acted upon When a solid type. wedge'element is em ployedsome.of-the cleatsmaybe applied and seated by hand, these cleatsmoving into.engagement with the ground by. shifting .the position of the tractor,and-then the. remaining. cleats shifted to their-locking. position byoperation of the annulus having the locking wedges 25.: A. reversalofathis. operation is.

employed when the cleatsv are to be. removed.

lVith the use of. the spring. wedges it is simply, necessary that all ofthe cleats be. placed in position and the annulus operated. While thosecleats which happento. be engaged with the ground: will not be shiftedduring, operation 05 the annulus, they willbe. shifted to. their lockingposition just as.

soon asthey arev shifted out of engagementv with the. groimdbyi rotationof the wheel: through the stored forces. of the spring wedges; r

W'hilelhave in the. present instance illustrated the. annulus,andassociated parts as being; in the form of. a divided structure, thisconstruction is merely adopted as. the most.

convenient means 0t applyingthe apparatus rui- ' a ge .ancl medificet eawith to thenordinary spokedtracton wheel; and enables. convenientassembly of" the; structure.

without in? any manner modifyingjthe; struc- 1 tureotthe. wheel:Obviously; u'nder: .certain conditions. the annulus. moreconveniently abeierm dns aunitl; Y

h9=:.- lCfl11 employe is O vi y capable of a very conside e range.- of;

many manea deeart a he P tion, I aeeording-Iy do;

efi hei limit: unreal-f te;

such specific structure except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim 1. The combination with a tractor wheel and traction elementssecured to the wheel by. transverse moyem ents upon the rim of thewheel, an annulus upon the inner surface of therim of the wheel androtatable with relation thereto, coacting elements upon the tractionelements and annulus whereby upon rotation of the annulus the tractionelement is shiftedtransversely of the wheel rim, and means for lockingthe annulus against rotation. c

2. The combination with a tractor wheel rim having. atransversely.extending, keyhole slot and a traction element having. upon its innerface a headed element the head-of which may extend through-the headportion of the keyhole. slot and the shank of which will fit within the.stem of' the. keyhole slot, and means circumferentially shiftable uponthe inner surface, of: the rim'having. engage.- ment with said:t-ractionelement when the. headed element thereof is extendedthrough thekeyhole slot whereby. upon circumferentialmovement of said meansthetraction element is shifted transversely of'the. rim in onedirection.

3.- In. combination with a tractor, Wheelrim and a traction elementincluding. pertions extending. to. the interior ofthe rim and upon,transverse movement of the trac-. tion element with relation to the rimhaving engagement with the rim preventing move.- ment of the tractionelement, and-amember circumferentiallyshiftable, upon the. inner surfaceof the rim having engagement with said portions whereby upon rotationof: the. member in one direction the traction element isshifted to itsposition of-lock-ingengagement and upon rotation of the member intlieopposite; direction the. traction element is freed-kfor movement intothe disengaged position wherein it is removable.

4. In combination, a tractor wheel rim having; a circumferentialseriesof pairs of transversely aligned transversely directed keyhole:slots, a. series of traction elements having headed members for coactionwith. said; slots," members circumferentiallyz shiftable upon theinterionol= the. rim, wedge -jelements; carriedvby onegof; thevmembers,and coactingwith certain of: saidheaded elements, during rotation of theinembergiirone direc tion to shi-ft'the, traction elementsi in. one iect n, nd-wedge elements (ifilril' gdtby thei ether-member;and-reacting; with the remain-1 llig h aded ements-"during .1 rotation;of: the:

. member in one; direction. to shift;thetraction:

elements-in,-therhpposifiediigectiom .7

In combination; a; traction wheat rim; havinga circun' terential seriesoffpa-irsfsof" ansv r ely-1aligned ransversely directedi keyhole shits;a; series; of? traction; nemesis;

lit)

having headed members for coaction with said slots, memberscircumferentially shiftable upon the interior of the rim, wedge elementscarried by one of the members and coacting with certain of said headedelements during rotation of the member in one direction to shift thetraction elements inone direction, wedge elements carried by the othermember and ooacting with the remaining headed elements during therotation of the member in one direction to shift the traction elementsin the opposite direction, and means for locking said rotatable membersagainst rotation.

6. The combination with a tractor wheel and traction elements secured tothe wheel by transverse movements upon the rim of the wheel, an annulusupon the inner surface of the rim of the wheel and rotatable withrelation thereto, coacting elements upon the traction elements andannulus whereby upon rotation of the annulus the traction element isshifted transversely of the wheel rim, a shaft extending transversely ofthe inner surface of the rim and mounted for rotation and longitudinalshifting movement, a

spring normally holding the shaft at one limit of its longitudinalshifting movement, coacting locking means carried by the rim and shaftand engaging when'the shaft is at said limit of its movement, a gearcarried by the shaft, and a rack upon the annulus with which said gearis in engagement in all flongitudinally shifted positions of the sha t.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflixrmy signature.

TILMON J. CALHOON.

